Chicken Taco Chopped Salad (Printer-friendly)

Crunchy Tex-Mex salad with seasoned chicken, fresh veggies, cheese, and crispy tortilla chips tossed in salsa ranch dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad

06 - 6 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
09 - 1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
10 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
11 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
12 - 1 avocado, diced
13 - 1 cup crushed tortilla chips

→ Salsa Ranch Dressing

14 - 1/2 cup ranch dressing
15 - 1/3 cup tomato salsa, mild or spicy to taste
16 - Juice of 1/2 lime

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, taco seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
02 - Cook chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through with clear juices. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, salsa, and lime juice until smooth. Set aside.
04 - In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, red onion, cheese, and avocado.
05 - Add chopped chicken and drizzle with salsa ranch dressing. Toss to coat evenly.
06 - Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips on top just before serving to maintain crunch. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get all those taco night flavors without heating up the kitchen for hours
  • The dressing comes together in thirty seconds flat but tastes like something special
02 -
  • The chicken keeps well for three days but only add chips and dressing to what you are eating immediately
  • Warm chicken against cold lettuce creates this lovely temperature contrast that makes the whole thing feel special
03 -
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning or the spices will slide right off
  • Double the dressing recipe and use the extra for dipping raw vegetables tomorrow
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